The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1887-03-25

tent of our misfortune--a dreaded dis
ease which had been raging in u neigh
boring village had reached our home
and stricken our beauty down.
Alas, poor Kate! Long weeks she
lay on her weary couch Of pain, while
what should have been her wedding
day came and passed away. Heaven
was merciful. and spared our darling
to us, but the ..Bonny Kate" who had
lain down so YEARLY arose no more.
"Even Dave would not call me
.bonny' now" she sighed as she looked
at her swollen and distisurea features in
the glass. Poor Dare!
1t was the first time she had men,
toned her ,iespised ador,r's name
since the day he left us. More than q
year had passed since then, but brought
no news of Dave.
She had refused to allow Oswald
Gray to come near her until all danger
of infection was past; but now he was
sent for
He came immediately from his dis
tant city home. had my own opin-
ion of him for having stayed away so
obediently, contrasting his GOODNESS
with the devotion of that poor foolish
lover who had watched once all night
long outside our door. wondered If
the same thought ever came to Kate;
but If it did she never spoke of 1t.
Oswald had not been told the nature
of the disease. He learned 1t first
from her own looks and lips. never
saw a man so shocked and scared.
There is no danger" she said gen.
thy. II would not have sent for you
until all was safe. But I wanted you
to see me as am. Such beauty as l
ever had is gone. am no more the
.Bonny Kate whom you wooed. l
want to say to you that, if you wish it,
you are entirely free"
But he would not say he wished it.
He wished nothing but to escape from
the house and town. He soothed her
with few sweet words and went away,
promising to write to her.
In few days he did so. found
her with the letter lying open in her
lap, her eyes gazing listlessly before
her.
'.He takes me at my word and
claims his freedom" she said quietly,
and laid her poor head down upon my
breast. II am not so sorry as you
think" she said, while caressed her,
'for this was not true love. One loved
me truly once"-the tears sprang to
her eyes-"and cared for him, Maude
more than understood. for my pride
blinded me. thought was only
sorry for him, and / fairly hated him
when he went away; but-reach me
that little box. dear, and let me show
you something"
| l obeyed her, opening it and discOv-
ering withered leaves.
you see, kept his roses"
Three years went by. Time had
dealt mercifully with our "Bonny
Kate" and softened down the ruin of
her beauty.
The lovely color was all gone, it's
true, and the smooth, white, ivory
skin was married for ever, but the
splendid hair and eyes remained I'M
changed, save that the latter. wore O
softened light that was not theirs be-
fore, and that bespoke loving ten
derness of heart more precious than
any beauty. e..
And one day came stranger to our
door. A tall MISUNDERSTANDING
man, whose voice and merry blue eyes
seemed to me oddly familiar. He ask
ed for Kate.
81 bring her news of an old friend. :"
said he.
Full of curiosity, never stopped to
ask his name, but took him straight to
the parlor. Kate was at the piano. ]
rushed in. 1-"
"Kate," said /, "here is somebody"
didn't say another word, for she
rose from her seat and fixed her eyes
on the stranger, her face growing
strangely pale. Her hands clasped
nervouSly: the next minute she uttered
a cry, low. full of rapture: .'Dave! 1t
is Dave!" and fell sobbing on her own
true lovers breast.
II have worked, studied, toiled for
you through all these years." he said
presently. IL knew YOU would be
mine at last. l knew il from the hour
in which you kept my roses"
al keep them STILL" she said.
And they were married. The change
in Hates beauty made no change in
Dave, because his love was true love.
l suppose if they live to be quite old,
and Hates dark hair turns Silver-gray,
she will still be to him what he called
her first, and calls her now-his
"Bonny Kate"